This invention relates to devices adapted to be used in connection with a bed of a pickup truck to enhance the cargo carrying capacity of the pickup truck bed, and more particularly to a bed extender apparatus which is adapted to be foldably extended into position to form a three sided upright structure over the tailgate of a pickup truck bed to thereby functionally extend the useable area of the bed when the tailgate is in its lowered position.
Various devices have been developed in an attempt to extend the useable space within a bed of a pickup truck. Such attempts are illustrated and described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 797,900; 2,872,239; 4,023,850; 4,136,905; 4,472,639; 4,513,773; 4,778,213; 4,824,158; 4,830,242; 5,154,470; 5,328,225; 5,700,047; 5,775,759.
The devices illustrated and described in the above-referenced patents suffer from a variety of drawbacks. Certain of the devices disclosed are relatively complicated and expensive to construct. Others interfere with placement of cargo in a pickup truck bed area when the device is not in use. Still other ones of the devices disclosed are not capable of being collapsed in an efficient, compact arrangement when the device is not in use.
Another drawback with present day bed extender devices is their inability to be quickly and easily removed from a truck bed when not needed or to be repositioned to perform a restraining function for holding smaller cargo items against movement in the bed while the vehicle is travelling. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a bed extender for a pickup truck which could be used in a first orientation to provide a bed extending function, and also used in a second orientation to provide a cargo restraining function in the truck bed.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bed extender apparatus which can be quickly articulated into its operative position without the need for any external tools.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a bed extender which is relatively inexpensive to produce and which can be secured to a tailgate of a pickup truck with little or no modifications to the-tailgate and/or to the pickup truck bed.
The above and other objects are provided by a bed extender apparatus in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention. The bed extender apparatus of the present invention is adapted to be secured to a tailgate of a pickup truck bed and quickly and easily articulated into its operative position after the tailgate is lowered. The bed extender apparatus further does not require any external tools to place it in its operative position or to collapse it from its operative position into a xe2x80x9cstoragexe2x80x9d or fully retracted position.
In one preferred embodiment the bed extender apparatus comprises a center wall having a width substantially in accordance with the width of the tailgate on which it is to be installed. The center wall is formed by a pair of opposing uprights between which extend a plurality of generally linear, elongated members. Each of the uprights are adapted to be pivotably secured to an inner surface of the liftgate at an upper edge of the tailgate such that the entire center wall can be pivoted upwardly once the liftgate is moved into a lowered position.
Extending from each of the uprights is an end wall. Each end wall is formed from a plurality of generally linearly extending members. Each of the members have a first end and a second end. The first ends are operatively coupled to the uprights such that each end wall can be pivoted to a position extending generally perpendicularly from the center wall once the center wall is lifted into its operative position. Each end wall further has a locking mechanism associated therewith. Each locking mechanism is adapted to engage a suitable securing member mounted at or near the rearmost portion of the upright walls of the pickup truck bed.
It is a principal advantage of the bed extender apparatus of the present invention that the elongated members of the end walls are staggered and positioned relative to the members of the center wall such that when the end walls are retracted into the stored position they can be positioned in the open areas formed between adjacent ones of the members of the center wall. This allows the end walls to be stored within the plane formed by the members of the center wall but without interference from the center wall members. When in the stored position, the end walls and center wall form a very thin, compact assembly which rests against an inner surface of the tailgate.
When in the operative position, the bed extender apparatus of the present invention forms an extremely strong yet aerodynamically efficient structure which allows the useable space of the pickup truck bed to be functionally enlarged by forming a three-sided wall portion over the tailgate. Another important advantage of the bed extender apparatus is that it does not take up any significant cargo area within the pickup truck bed when it is in its stored position.
In an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention a bed extender is disclosed which can be quickly and easily removed from a tailgate to which it is attached and reattached so as to form a cargo restraining area within the bed of a pickup truck. With this embodiment a first pair of mounting elements are fixedly disposed within the tailgate. A second pair of mounting elements are fixedly disposed at upper areas of sidewalls of the truck bed adjacent the tailgate. A third pair of mounting elements are fixedly disposed in the bed forwardly of the first pair. The bed extender is similar to the previous embodiments discussed in that a pair of uprights are formed by a plurality of T-shaped fittings secured together by rods which extend substantially the entire length of each upright. The T-shaped fittings are secured alternately to main supports which extend between the two uprights to form a center wall, and a plurality of end support members which form two separate endwalls. The main supports are spaced apart parallel to one another to form a plurality of open areas therebetween. The end support members can be pivoted down to rest inbetween, and flush with, the main supports.
A principal advantage with the alternative preferred embodiment described above is the inclusion of quick release mounting assemblies incorporated at the bottom of each upright, and a pair of quick release latching pins associated with the end walls. The quick release mounting assemblies engage with the first pair of mounting elements to maintain the center wall securely attached to the tailgate. Since the mounting assemblies and mounting pins can be quickly and easily manually released, the entire bed extender can be removed from the tailgate. The bed extender can then be rotated 180 degrees and the quick release mounting assemblies secured to the third pair of mounting elements. This positions the center wall within the area of the truck bed. The locking mechanisms of the end walls can then be secured to the second pair of mounting elements disposed on the sidewalls of the truck bed. When the tailgate is in a raised position, the bed extender thus forms a cargo restraining device for holding smaller articles in the bed against movement.